Apparatus for making insulation batts and boards



W. J. KROPP March 27, 1951 4 APPARATUS FOR MAKING INSULATION BATTS AND BOARDS Filed oct. 2o, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Slwcntor h non me Gttorneg;

APPARATUS FOR MAKING INSULATION BATTS AND BOARDS Filed Oct. 20, 1948 5 SheetIs-Sheet 2 Enventor attorneys MalCh 27, W, J. KROPP APPARATUS FOR MAKING INSULATION BATTS AND BOARDS Filed Oct. 20, 1948 3 sheets-sheet Snventor i Patented Mar. 27, 1951 htt-[tte @ififiCE APPARTUS FOR MKENG INSULATION BATES AND BARDS William il. Kropp, Wichita, Kans.

Appiicationctober 2i), 1948, Serial No. 55,632

l Claim. l

This invention relates to apparatus for making insulation batts and boards, and more particu larly to apparatus for forming such insulation from shredded paper, cardboard and like fibers, and has for its principal object to provide apparatus for air laying adhesive sprayed fibers in a web, partially drying the adhesive and com.- pacting the fibers into a heterogeneous interlocked iiber batt or blanket of desired density and thickness. f

Other objects of the invention are to provide apparatus for blowing fibers into a confined space for gravitational deposit on a carrier and spraying the fibers with adhesive while in the air above said carrier; to provide a foraminous carrier on which said iibers are deposited in a loose, fluffy, random arrangement of heterogeneous interlocked, fuzzy, ber units; to provide for treating the carrier whereby the adhesive of the fibers will not adhere thereto; to provide heating devices adjacent the carrier rfor progressively drying the adhesive on the liber units, said heat being' directed onto the web for penetration into the mass of bers on the carrier to reduce the moisture content at the center of said mass; to provide adjustable compression members for compacting the mass of fibers on the carrier into a web of desired thickness after the adhesive is partially dried; to provide apparatus for cutting the insulation web into sections of desired size; and to provide an efficient, insulation batt or blanket or board forming apparatus adapted to accurately control the density and thickness of said insulation product, the adherence and interlocking arrangement of the bers preventing segregation or layer separation thereof.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine for forming and cutting a web of insulation, the fiber and adhesive delivery mechanism being shown diagrammatically in relation to said machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the insulation forming machine.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the insulation forming machine on the line .iS-ii, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View through the insulation forming machine on the line d-fl,

` Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the web compacting and cutting portion ofthe machine.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of an insulation batt, blanket or board formed in said machine- Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates an insulation batt forming machine consisting of laterally spaced, longitudinal frames 2 and 3 having a plurality of spaced vertical members d and horizontal upper and lower rails 5 and t. Each of the side frames is suitably braced to form a substantially rigid structure and are connected by transverse members 'i to form a rigid structure capable of supporting the operating parts of the machine. Suitably mounted and longitudinally spaced on the upper raiis 5 and bearings 8, the bearings on one frame being in axial alignment with the bearing on the opposite frame whereby the aligned bearings rotatably mount shafts 9 carrying rolls lil, the upper periphery of which are all located in a horizontal plane for supporting the upper run Il of a foraminous carrier i2 of wire cloth or the like of suitable width to substantially span the space between the frames 2 and "i, the width or said carrier preferably being slightly greater than the width of the web of insulation material to be formed.

A large terminal roll I3 is arranged within the confines of the frames and adjacent the feed end is of the machine and is carried on a shaft E5 rotatably supported in bearings it suitably mounted in axial alignment on the respective frame members, the roll I3 preferably being of such size that its upper periphery lies in the horizontal plane defined by the upper periphery of the rolls Iii. The carrier i2 passes over the roll i3 and the lower run ll of said carrier passed under spaced rolls l rotatably mounted in bearings l] carried by the lower rails 6 of the respective frames 2 and 3. The other or discharge end of said machines is provided with a roll 2d having a shaft 2| rotatably mounted in horizontal axially aligned bearings 22 slidably mounted in guides 23 for horizontal movement longitudinally of the machine under control of adjusting screws 26. whereby the roll 2S may be moved to suitably tighten the foraminous carrier i2, the upper periphery of the roll 2l) prefu erably being in the saine horizontal plane as is dened by the upper peripheries of the roll lil.

Either of the terminal rolls i3 and 26 may be suitably driven so as to propel the carrier; however, it is preferred to drive the roll i3 by means of a sprocket 25 carried on the shaft iii and connected by a chain iii with a suitable source of power. The drive of the roll i3 may be by any suitable means but is preferably positive in nature whereby the movement of the carrier may be synchronized with fiber feeding equipment as later described.

A housing 2 is arranged over the carrier at the feed end thereof, said housing consisting of side walls 28 and 2S preferably extending upwardly from the lower rail 6 adjacent the ends of the rolls i3 and lil to a point considerably above the carrier, the upper edges of the side walls being connected by a top wall Sli, the feed end Of said housing being provided with an end wall 3i connected to the side walls 28 and 29 and the top wall said end wall preferably being arranged whereby the roll i3 is wholly under the housing 2l. The lower end of the end wall 3l terminates as at 32 slightly above the horizontal plane of the upper run of the carrier in a downwardly and inwardly sloping portion 33, the lower edge of which terminates adjacent the carrier operating over the roll i3. rThe end wall 3i is preferably provided with an aperture substantially and centrally of said end wail for receiving the discharge nozzle 3b of a fiber feeding apparatus as later described.

Arranged below the nozzle 3b and at the sides thereof are apertures 3S for spray nozzles 3'! of pressure gun devices for applying adhesive on the fibers blown into the housing 2i from the nozzle 35. The housing is of such length relative to the machine that the velocity of the fibers and spray will disperse the bers through said housing for gravitational deposit on the carrier during its movement through the housing. The edges of the side walls and top wall opposite the end wall Si are connected by an end wall 33 which terminates in an edge 3i? spaced from the carrier slightly more than the thickness of the air laid fiber web deposited on said carrier. The housing is provided with suitable framework lil for making a rigid structure and mounted on said side walls 2S and 29 are horizontally arranged baiiies il eX- tending the full length of the housingand terminating at their lower edge slightly above the carrier. Said baflies extend inwardly and downwardly relative to the side walls whereby the lower edges are spaced inwardly relative to the sides of the carrier to limit the width of the web of fibers deposited thereon.

Mounted on the frames 2 and S at the feed end of` the machine is a roller i2 having a fabric covering i3 preferably saturated with oil and in contact with the carrier operating over the roll i3, the roller i2 being suitably mounted whereby it will remain in contact with the carrier to coat samewith oil to prevent the fibers and adhesive from adhering to said carrier. A plurality of banks of suitable heating devices or elements 4&3, for example, infrared ray bulbs d, arranged in reflectors i6 are mounted on suitable framework i? below the upper run of the carrier and preferably between the rolls lil whereby the heat from the bulbs is directed upwardly through the wire screen carrier and into the web of fibers deposited thereon. The infrared bulbs and reflectors are preferably arranged whereby the heat therefrom is directed through substantially all of the wire screen carrier except where same is contacted by the rolls ill. The first of the series of heating devices is arranged adjacent the roll i3 under the housing 2 whereby the heat is directed into the loose, fluffy fibers as they are deposited on the carrier. Any suitable heating devices and method of application of the heat to the web may be used, the heat and length of the heated area of the carrier being proportioned according to the speed of movement thereof and the depth of the web of fibers deposited thereon whereby the product is substantially dry when it leaves the carrier.

Arranged adjacent the housing wall 38 and immediately above the web of loose fibers is the bank of suitable heating devices or elements [13, for example, infrared ray bulbs L19 arranged in reflectors 5G for directing heat downwardly into the loose fibers. The refiectors and bulbs are carried on suitable transverse supports 5i contained in a housing 52, the ends of which are supported by side members 53 mounted on the upper rails 5 of the frames 2 and 3. The longitudinal extent of the bank of heating elements is such that in cooperation with the heating elements fifi, below, the carrier, said bers are suitably dried for the preliminary compression or compacting operation. A roll 5|@ is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the side frames adjacent the end of the bank of heating elements (il. Said roll cooperates with a compression roll 55 fixed to a shaft 56 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 5l slidably mounted in vertically arranged guides 58. The bearing blocks 5l are engaged by adjusting screws 5i) for providing vertical adjustment of the roll relative to the roll whereby the web passing therebetween is compressed as desired. This is a preliminary compacting operation performed while the adhesive is only partially dried. Additional compacting devices are provided in the machine in spaced relation to the rolls 'ed and 55. Obviously any desired number of stages may be provided; however, in the illustrated instance two additional stages are provided. 1Rolls Se and 6i are provided under the carrier and cooperate with rolls E2 and SS respectively carried in vertically arranged guides for adjustment by means of adjusting screws and respectively to arrange the spacing between the rolls as desired. Additional stages of compaction may be spaced as desired.

Since the preliminary compaction performed by rolls 5d and 55 is prior to the drying of the adhesive additional banks of heating elements are provided between the compacting rolls 5f; and tu above the webs, said banks consisting of infrared bulbs 68 or the like carried in suitable reflectors Si' and supported by a housing and frame members 68 substantially in the same manner as the support of the banks t9. rIhe banks of heating elements under the carrier extend substantially to the compacting roll @il or if additional stages of compaction are provided the lights may extend therebetween to adequately dry the adhesive whereby the heat in the web will substantially complete the drying of the insulation material by the time of the delivery from the machine.

The compacted web is delivered from the carrier adjacent the roll Eil onto a table 69. Supported over said table and suitably driven is a shaft 'lo carrying spaced circular cutters 'H having serrated edges i2 for cutting the insulation materia1 as it passes over the table. The cutters 'li are so arranged that one is adjacent each side of the web to trim any rough edge therefrom and other cutters spaced transversely of the machine to cut the insulation material in the desired number and width of strips. The insulation passes off of the table 59 and onto a carrier 'i3 operating over a roll 'M and suitably driven to convey the insulation material to a point of delivery of the machine.

In forming insulation batts, blankets or boards it is desirable to cut the strips transversely in predetermined lengths. The operation is performed by means of a circular cutter i5 rotatably mounted on the shaft of a motor T6 carried on a suitable support 'H preferably arranged at an angle whereby the motor and cutter are moved transversely of the web to cut same simultaneously with the forward movement, the angle being such that the cut is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the web. After a transverse cut is completed the support is so arranged that the motor is moved upwardly to lift the cutter from the web and then is retracted across the machine and lowered into position for another cut. The operation and movement of the motor and cutter are synchronized with the drive for the carrier I2 whereby uniform lengths of insulation material may be obtained.

The material used for forming an insulation product in the present machine preferably consists of comminuted brous material such as nely coinminuted cardboard wherein the comminuted material is bers or pieces characterized by being narrow, fluffy, fuzzy, elongated bers. Said bers suitably treated as by impregnating same with a suitable rire-resistant salt are placed in a hopper le. It is desirable to agitate the supply of rlbers kept in the hopper and therefore I have shown a rotary agitator i9 whose shaft 8e extends horizontally through the hopper and is suitably driven by an electric motor 3i. The agitator proper may consist of a series of bars S2 arranged at spaced intervals on the shaft B. The lower part of the hopper is preferably provided with a spiral conveyor S3 suitably driven for moving bers to the discharge opening 4. A star feed device 'has its inlet connected with the outlet fifi of the hopper and its discharge Sii connected with a duct d?. The star feed has a plurality of blades et carried by a shaft 89 suitably rotated to provide a positive feed of fibers which is synchronized with the drive of the roll I3 and movement of the carrier I2 to regulate the density of the bers in the final product. The duct 81 is connected with the inlet Si! or a suitable blower 9!) driven by a motor The blower is preferably of a rotary type and the intake end communicates with the discharge of the duct 8l, said intake being larger then the duct whereby air is drawn into the blower together with the fibers and forced through a duct e2 terminating in the nozzle 35 for directing the fibers and air in a horizontal stream into the housing 2 above the carrier l2, whereby gravitation of the fibers effects disposition thereof on said carrier. Adhesive for the fibers, such as a mixture of starch and water, the starch being seven (7%) per cent by weight, is arranged in a cooking tank Q3. A pipe 9d controlled by a valve S5 connects the bottom of the tank S3 with a positive pressure pump 9S, the discharge of which is connected by a pipe 9'! with the spray nozzles 3l. The spray nozzles also have air connections es leading to a suitable source of air pressure whereby the air pressure supplied to the spray nozzles effects a forceful spray of adhesive into the housing 2l under the nozzle 35, the fibers and spray being directed in the same direction and the air and adhesive spray and the air moving the fibers tend to thoroughly disperse the fibers in the housing 27 whereby all of the fibers gravitate through the spray and receive an application of adhesive. The agitation caused by the air entering the housing 27 tends to maintain the fibers in suspension for a sufcient period for adequate coating of the bers with adhesive. Also any ne, lightweight particles, such as dust and the like, are carried by the 'air through a stack 99 located in the top wall 3S of the housing adjacent the end wall 38 thereof, said stack leading to a suitable dust collector for disposal of the dust.

The density of the inal product is controlled by the relative speed of the carrier and the speed of the star feed 85. For example, in manufacturing insulation batte the carrier has been operated at a speed of eight inches per minute. air pressure applied to the spray gun fifty pounds per square inch and the star feed operated at such g, rate as to deposit fibers to a depth ois inches on said carrier, the rate of delivery of the pump 'being such that the bers have sufficient application of adhesive as they are deposited on said carrier. By coinpacting the bers 'to a thickness of three and three-quarter inches, the final insulation batt has a weight of approximately eighteen ounces per cubic foot. The oil-impregnated roller d2 coats the carrier with a thin coating of oil which prevents the adhesive fibers from adhering to said carrier. lit has been found that the full depth of the fibers desired on the ca' ier is obtained adjacent the end 38 of the housing 2i; however, the heating elements adjacent the roll iii direct heat through the foraininous carrier and into the loose, iluify ilbers as 4they are deposited on the carrier, to start the drying of the adhesive as said fibers are dep 1'ted Since the adhesive coating of each ber is insuicient to obstruct the pores and interstices of the web or loose mass of fibers, the heat penetrates to the center of the air laid, loose, hetercgeneou interlocked bers to partially dry the adh ve thereon. The heat applied to web is such that as ti e web reachs the coinpacting rolls 3 and adhesive is partially n tains s i 1ividual coinpacting ibers.

of compaction may be perhis etage; however, when the depth of the air laid bers on the web is seven inches it is referable that the spacing between the rolls and be approximately four and one-half inches. The heating of the web continued to further dry the partially compacted web to reduce the moisture in the web and still effect adherence of the fibers at all stages of compaction. The spacing between the rolls 5S and el may be such as to compact the web to approximately four nches in thickness and the rolls 6] and @E arranged to corn-pact the web to three and threequarters inches in thickness as when making a lbatt or blanket of insulation having that thick- Obviously additional stages of compacting rolls may be arranged for obtaining any desired thickness and density of final product.

the final compacting stage it is desirable that the batt, blanket, or board have suiiicient moisture content whereby the adhesive on the coated bers will provide adherence of adjacent interlocking bers, there being suicient heat in the batt or .web whereby moist-ure continues to evaporate on further travel from the compacting rolls to a point adjacent the terminal roll 2) wherein the batt is delivered from the carrier with approximately ten per cent moisture content. is the web passes from the carrier it is delivered onto the table Si! and cut into longitudinal strips by the cutter lil, said strips passing onto the carrier "i2 and being cut transversely thereof at predetermined intervals to out the strips in desired length for suitable size finished insulation batts, blankets, or boards. The heat in the insulation continues to reduce the moisture content thereof whereby the final product in batt or blanket form is soft, resilient, extremely light in weight, having a random arrangement of heterogeneously interlocked, narrow, fuzzy, fiber units which adhere together by the interlocking and adhesive therein whereby it is impossible to segregate or remove in layers any portion of the final batt. The depth of loose fibers deposited on the carrier may be varied to provide `bartts, blankets or boards of different weight and density and dilierent degrees of compaction may be used to vary the weight and density of the product. Also since each of the fibers is treated with nre-resistant salt, the entire batt is nre-resistant. The adherence of the oers due to the adhesive and interlockingr arrangement o the bers particularl f oharaeterizes the nal insulation batt in that no paper or other coating is required on the faces of the product to hold it together or retain its shape. However, paper or other coating may be applied to the faces of the product if desired.

It is obvious that additional pressi` e and/or additional stages or conipaoting the fibers will create an insulation board of desired thiokness having uniorrn density, the greater the compacting the greater hardness and Strength of the nal product.

What I cla-iin and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Apparatus for making brous insulation batts comprising, a hopper for ground fibrous material, a housing having side, end and top walls, a forarninous carrier positioned for form-ing a bottom of said housin means for Continuously passing said carrier under said housing, a stack connected to the upper part of the housing for escape of air and dust therefrom, means for receiving fibrous material from the hopper and blowing said material with air into the housing above the carrier and in the saine direction as the movement of the carrier, the movement or air in the housing and through the stack substantially suspending 'the ibers in the air above the carrier, means for spraying an adhesive solution into the housing below the discharge of fibers therein and above the carrier for applying adhesive solution to the fibers whereby the adhesive sprayed bers become heavier and gravitate toward the carrier air laying a web of substantially only loose iesive coated fibers onto the carrier in a random arrangement of heterogeneously interlooked, narrow, fuzzy ber units, means for feeding the brous material from the hopper to the blower in. i foordanoe with the rate of movement of the earner to control the depth of Jbers deposited thereon, a plurality of banks of infrared lamps under the carrier and extending from under the housing to a selected compacting stage or the web for directing heat through the carrier into the loose, brous material carried by the carrier, a plnrality o banks of infrared lamps above the carrier from the housing to a selected stage of compaction of the web for directing heat into the web thereon for cooperation with the lamps under the carrier to progressively dry the adhesive coating of the ibers throughout the thickness of the web, means for oompaetinfr the Afibers on thn 'orrier wine the adhesive is partially dried, r s for further drying the adhesive in the ber web, a plu `ality of stages of coinpaoting nieans for compressing the fiber web to a desired lthickness and uniform density to forrn a self-contained. insulation 'oatt of only fibrous material in uncovered condition.

W ILLIAVI J. KROPP.

REFERENCES GITED he following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Dato 1,336,463 Weiss Ani'. 6, 1920 2,295,971 Savidge Sept. l5, 1942 2,341,161 Parte-e et al. Feb, 8, i944 2,356,826 Coss et al Aug. 2' 19V.4 2,365,353 Greene Jan. 9, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,549 Great Britain Aug. l5, 1898 

